Argentina’s celebrations after defeating England to reach their second consecutive FIFA World Cup final have generated widespread debate. Following several players being seen with a controversial message on a banner, several British politicians have called for FIFA to take disciplinary action in accordance with their policies. The latest to weigh in on this debate is politician Ed Davey, who referenced a past incident.
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“In August 2024 Rodri and Álvaro Morata were rightly banned for one match for singing ‘Gibraltar is Spain,'” Davey wrote in an X post. “Now the Argentine players who celebrated with the ‘Falklands are Argentine’ banner must be barred from the final.”
Here’s what happened. After Argentina beat England 2-1 to secure a spot in the World Cup finals, several Argentine players celebrated on the field with a banner reading ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’ (The Falklands are Argentinian), which clearly violated FIFA’s rules.
FIFA Stadium Code of Conduct bans “banners, flags, flyers, apparel and other paraphernalia that are of a political, offensive, and/or discriminatory nature” within stadiums.
The Falkland Islands have been the topic of a historic dispute between Argentina and the UK, which both claim sovereignty over the islands. This culminated in a violent conflict in 1982, which Britain ultimately won. Since then, the vast majority of the population of the islands have expressed a wish to remain part of the UK.
Among the players near the banner, Lisandro Martinez, and Giovani Lo Celso were perhaps the most involved, with the two holding the banners and waving at fans in the stands.
Davey compared this incident to one that occurred just two years ago. In 2024, after Spain won 2-1 over England in the European Championship final, Spanish players Rodri and Alvaro Morata led chants of “Gibraltar is Spanish” during a celebration in Madrid. Gibraltar is a British territory in the Iberian Peninsula. Both players were suspended one international game each.
It is important to remember, though, that these punishments were enforced by UEFA, not FIFA, which means the process likely differed. FIFA has so far not announced any proceedings or sanctions against players involved in the incident.
Davey isn’t the only British voice to call out FIFA to take action. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has also expressed his opinion that the Argentina players should be investigated by the governing body.
“The World Cup might not be ours, but the Falkland Islands definitely are,” his spokeswoman told reporters. “Our position is unchanged. Self-determination rests with the islanders, and our commitment to the Falklands will never waver.”
Only time will tell what action FIFA will take, and whether it will affect the World Cup final.
